Opinion on "high mileage"

[WarlVlachine]

Talking to the local guys about this, wanted to hear some opinions from here. Sticking to vehicles made in the last decade.

The consensus so far
-75K on a 7 year old vehicle falls below the 14K driven a year average. While the miles are high, its not a so much a high mile vehicle.

As such 50K on a 3 year old vehicle could seem questionable.

Then there is also the debate on maintenance. If you're lucky there are dealer documentations on it, but most times there will be no records. So all you have to go on is the appearance and initial impressions from operation.

I'm interested to hear some theories and outlooks.

 

[Arkansas_V8]

Talking to the local guys about this, wanted to hear some opinions from here. Sticking to vehicles made in the last decade.

The consensus so far
-75K on a 7 year old vehicle falls below the 14K driven a year average. While the miles are high, its not a so much a high mile vehicle.

As such 50K on a 3 year old vehicle could seem questionable.

Then there is also the debate on maintenance. If you're lucky there are dealer documentations on it, but most times there will be no records. So all you have to go on is the appearance and initial impressions from operation.

I'm interested to hear some theories and outlooks.

Any used car is a crapshoot. Got a 50/50 with any of them.

You can't trust anyone that tells you how many times they're odometer has turned over. Lol

 

[78C10BigTen]

I personally dont give two ***** about mileage. If it runs strong and looks good im in. Hell i bought my suburban with over 200k on it and it finally quit at 335k.

 

[78C10BigTen]

You can't trust anyone that tells you how many times they're odometer has turned over. Lol

You can trust me.... mine does not work and has never rolled lol

 

[Arkansas_V8]

You can trust me.... mine does not work and has never rolled lol

People constantly swapping gauge clusters, even in newer stuff.

 

[78C10BigTen]

People constantly swapping gauge clusters, even in newer stuff.

I drove in reverse for a few thousand miles to turn it back lol original cluster i swear!

 

[Arkansas_V8]

I drove in reverse for a few thousand miles to turn it back lol original cluster i swear!

Lol

 

[Goldie Driver]

People constantly swapping gauge clusters, even in newer stuff.

Not sure how it works on all of 'em, but when I had to get a new gauge cluster for my '99 Camaro it threw a check engine light and I had to have the dealer reflash the cluster to recognize the body that it was in.

The cluster place put the correct miles on the new one, BTW.

Definitely not something you have to worry about with our clusters - I did put a 100 MPH speedometer in my '79 Ram Charger years ago and was able to pull the odometer gears apart and put the correct mileage on that.

But, I kind of see high miles as a badge of honor.

 

[Arkansas_V8]

Not sure how it works on all of 'em, but when I had to get a new gauge cluster for my '99 Camaro it threw a check engine light and I had to have the dealer reflash the cluster to recognize the body that it was in.

The cluster place put the correct miles on the new one, BTW.

Definitely not something you have to worry about with our clusters - I did put a 100 MPH speedometer in my '79 Ram Charger years ago and was able to pull the odometer gears apart and put the correct mileage on that.

But, I kind of see high miles as a badge of honor.

Not everyone is as honest as you are.

In some cases low mileage can be as destructive as low maintained high mileage.

 

[GXPWeasel]

I've never worried much about mileage either, except for when I go to sell. I had a 2001 Silverado half ton that I sold which had just under 250k on the clock. I was the 2nd owner, and purchased the truck in 2005 (only 4 years old) and it had 165k on the odometer. They were highway miles (you can hit the trip reset in a certain sequence and it will show engine hours, then do the math) and the truck ran great, and didn't leak any oil when I sold it. I never had a major problem with that truck either. I wish my new truck had fewer miles, but it still performs like new. I have just under 80k on it now, and it's right at 5 years old. I again, am the 2nd. owner. The first guy put 33,000 on it in 11 months of ownership. Same engine as my 2001 (the 5.3) so I'm confident I can make it to 200k with this truck as well.

 

[yevgenievich]

I just bought 08 equinox with 95k miles and my 98 e320 was at 90k miles when we bought it couple of years ago. Lower miles has some meaning but has to be backed up by condition. The 06 70k mile Vette that I sold not long ago was in much better condition than 08 70k mile Vette that I decided to part out.
And on that low miles e320, it actually still have correct maintenance done throughout time regardless of miles(like air bags, trans fluid replacement and so on)

 

[Josh Helm]

Well it all comes down to maintenance... I have a tacoma that frame **** out round 350k ... still runs great no ticks dosnet leak or burn a drop of oil ... and I have seen machines with less the 50 k and are shot... specially when people don't change oil ... you can kill um fast ... or make um last ... it's all about maintaining um ...

 

[WarlVlachine]

Josh Helm

I just bought 08 equinox with 95k miles and my 98 e320 was at 90k miles when we bought it couple of years ago. Lower miles has some meaning but has to be backed up by condition. The 06 70k mile Vette that I sold not long ago was in much better condition than 08 70k mile Vette that I decided to part out.
And on that low miles e320, it actually still have correct maintenance done throughout time regardless of miles(like air bags, trans fluid replacement and so on)

I had an 05' vette that I had just rolled 95k on it when I sold it. Those things are built to last if you know how to take care of them, or care to learn.

 

[WarlVlachine]

Well it all comes down to maintenance... I have a tacoma that frame **** out round 350k ... still runs great no ticks dosnet leak or burn a drop of oil ... and I have seen machines with less the 50 k and are shot... specially when people don't change oil ... you can kill um fast ... or make um last ... it's all about maintaining um ...

I definitely agree, but these days all you really have to indicate the level of mechanical attention the vehicle had in its life is your personal observation and knowledge base.

 

[QBuff02]

I had an '04 Silverado I bought brand new and drove it to 190,000 miles before trading it off on my current truck which is a '12 Silverado. Bought the '12 with 32,000 miles on it in august of '15 and it now is nearing 150,000 miles. both were maintained as should be by me, the '04 got everything it needed to get, tune ups, oil changes, trans flushes and fills, differentials, the whole shebang. up until the day I sold the '04 i'd have drove it across country. My '12 is the same way, it gets multiple 800 mile round trips to the cabin in Wisconsin every year. My Fiancé's '07 Jeep Commander is pretty similar-I've maintained it now for the last 5 years75,000 miles and performed all maintenance as it should as well as replacing other things it needed and it's gone to the cabin and back twice this year alone. it has almost 150,000 miles on it and i'd hit the road with it this afternoon, even as much as I am really not a fan of it. but I know how it's been taken care of. I've seen vehicles half the age, with half the mileage look twice as beat up and twice as bad mechanically. You can tell a well cared for vehicle by spending about 2 minutes walking around it and looking underneath it or HOW it was cared for, for that matter. Like her Jeep, you'd never suspect the mileage it has, as there is ZERO rust on it, it's always clean, polished and even her chrome wheels look like brand new. She is the Ferris Bueller's buddy of the female word, she "never drives it Ferris, just rubs it with a diaper." But she takes care of the outsides and I take care of the insides. My dad always said (we live in Illinois) that the body can go to ****, but if the mechanicals are good-drive it until it falls apart.